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Bucharest Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport

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Aurel Vlaicu International Airport (IATA: BBU, ICAO: LRBS) (generally known as Băneasa Airport or Bucharest City Airport) is located in Băneasa district, Bucharest, Romania, 8.5 km (5.3 mi) north of the city center.[1] Named after Aurel Vlaicu, a Romanian engineer, inventor, aeroplane constructor, and early pilot, it was Bucharest's only airport until 1969, when the Otopeni Airport (today Henri Coandă International Airport) was opened to civilian use.

Bucharest Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu International Airport

Aeroportul Internațional București Băneasa Aurel Vlaicu
Summary
Airport typePublic
OperatorCompania Națională Aeroporturi București S.A.
ServesBucharest
LocationBăneasa
Opened1920; 104 years ago (1920)
Built1912; 112 years ago (1912)
Elevation AMSL299 ft / 91 m
Coordinates44°30′13″N 026°06′13″E / 44.50361°N 26.10361°E / 44.50361; 26.10361
Websitewww.bucharestairports.ro/baneasa/en
Map
BBU is located in Romania
BBU
BBU
Location within Romania
Map
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
07/25 3,100 10,465 Concrete
Statistics (2015)
Passengers12,925
Aircraft movements11,348
Sources: Romanian AIP at EUROCONTROL[1]
Airport-Data.com,[2]
Statistics: bucharestairports.ro[3]

Until March 2012, when it was converted into a business airport, Aurel Vlaicu International was the second airport in Romania in terms of air traffic, and Bucharest's low-cost airline hub.

History

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Gheorghe Gheorghiu-Dej, with Nicolae Ceaușescu at his right hand side, and Nikita Khrushchev at Băneasa Airport in June 1960.

Foundation and early years

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The first flights in the Băneasa area took place in 1909 and they were carried out by the French pilot and aviation pioneer Louis Blériot, who flew on 18 October at the Băneasa Hippodrome [ro].[4] In 1912, one of the first flight schools in Romania was opened at the Băneasa airfield by George Valentin Bibescu. This makes Băneasa airport the oldest continuously operating airport in Eastern Europe, and places it among the five oldest airports in the world.[5]

In 1922, the airport headquartered the first aviation company in Romania, and one of the earliest in the world, CFRNA (The French–Romanian Company for Air Navigation), the precursor of the Romanian national airline, TAROM.[6] In 1923, CFRNA built the industrial facilities for aircraft maintenance in Băneasa. These facilities preceded the aerospace company Romaero.[7] During World War II, the airport was used by both Romanian and German units as an aircraft repair hub and also functioned as the headquarters of the Romanian White Squadron. The airport mainly had a grass surface with a single 940 metres (3,080 ft) long concrete runway built in 1942.[8]

The current terminal building was designed in the late 1940s and opened in 1952. At that time it was considered one of the finest architectural features of Bucharest. The building consists of a central dome with three distinct wings which represents an airplane propeller with three blades.[7]

During the communist period (1947–1989), Băneasa Airport was TAROM's domestic hub, while Otopeni Airport was used as an international hub. In the early 2000s (decade), TAROM moved all of its activities to Otopeni (renamed Henri Coandă International Airport).[citation needed]

The 2007 low cost "invasion"

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The first low cost airline established at BBU was Blue Air in 2004. From January 2007, the low-fare airlines Wizz Air, EasyJet, and Germanwings started European routes from Băneasa. In 2007, the airport was closed from 10 May to 19 August for renovation works. All flights during this period were moved to Henri Coandă International Airport. Renovations included commercial areas, restaurants, a VIP lounge and a 300-space car park. The runway and lighting systems were also completely overhauled. The estimated cost was €20m.[9]

Conversion into a business airport and reopening

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In March 2012, Băneasa was dedicated to business air traffic. The last passenger air traffic was transferred to Henri Coandă International Airport on 25 March 2012.[10]

In 2017 and 2018, public talks organized by the managing company took place, suggesting that the airport may be re-opened for regular flights, following renovation works, that may be completed in two years from start.[11][12] In June 2019, it was announced that the airport will reopen for commercial flights in early 2020.[13]

On 1 August 2022, the airport was re-opened after 10 years of renovation work and 110 years since it was founded.[14] The first scheduled flight was operated on 20 April 2023, to Antalya.[15][16] Interest for operating on the new airport has already been shown by airlines such as Ryanair and FlyOne,[17] but also from domestic carriers, such as AirConnect.[18][19]

Terminals

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The building is a late 1940s design, and was not built to cope with more than 600,000 passengers per year and departures every 25 minutes. As such in the few years before 2012 when the airport was closed to commercial scheduled flights, the facilities were extremely undersized and became very crowded. The building cannot be expanded, because of its status as a historic monument, and because of the sheer lack of space in the airport area.[citation needed]

Airlines and destinations

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The following airlines operate flights at Aurel Vlaicu International Airport:

AirlinesDestinations
Fly Lili[20] Seasonal charter: Antalya, Bodrum, Enfidha, Hurghada, Sharm El Sheikh

Statistics

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Terminal exterior (2007).
 
Terminal interior (2007).

From as low as 20 to 30 passengers per month in 2001–2002, BBU handled 119,000 passengers in 2004, and 2,398,911 passengers in 2011.[21]

Year Passengers[22][23][24] Compared to Previous Year
2005 380,474   222%
2006 672,923   76.8%
2007 968,084   43.8%
2008 1,724,633   78.1%
2009 1,974,337   14.4%
2010 1,881,509   4.7%
2011 2,398,911   27.5%
2012 424,016   82.3%
2013 6,036   98.6%
2014 4,960   17.8%
2015 12,925   160.6%
2016 7,226   44.1%
2017 17,623   143.9%
2018 5,690[25]   67.7%
2019 25,518   348.5%
2020 12,329   51.7%
2021 7,687   37.7%

Bucharest International Air Show

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The airport has been the set where the Bucharest International Air Show, the largest of its kind in Romania, has been taking place. In 2018, this event had its tenth edition, with 150 aircraft on the ground and on display in the air and 100 pilots and paratroopers, from 13 countries.[26]

Ground transportation

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Road

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The airport is situated 8 km (5 miles) north of Bucharest city centre and is accessible by STB buses, trams[27] and Airport Express. Taxis and ride-sharing services are also present and accessible.

Metro

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An extension of the Bucharest Metro system to Aurel Vlaicu International, as Metro Line M6, which will link it to the Main Train Station and the larger Henri Coandă International Airport, was approved in June 2006 and is currently in its planning stage.[28]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b EAD Basic
  2. ^ Information of Aurel Vlaicu International Airport at airport-data.com
  3. ^ "Bucharest Airports - Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport - Bucharest Henri Coandă International Airport". www.bucharestairports.ro.
  4. ^ "O vizită la Hipodromul Băneasa". Via Bucuresti (in Romanian).
  5. ^ "TOP 10 World's Oldest Airports". BAA Training. 2016-03-08. Archived from the original on 15 August 2022.
  6. ^ "Compania Franco-Romana de Navigatie Aeriana (C.F.R.N.A) [1920-1924]". Ceasuri pentru Romania (in Romanian). November 2020.
  7. ^ a b "Băneasa Airport website" (in Romanian). Archived from the original on March 12, 2007.
  8. ^ Henry L. deZeng IV (December 2014). Luftwaffe Airfields 1935-45 | Romania (PDF). p. 11.
  9. ^ "Nine O'Clock, Romania". Archived from the original on 2008-01-10. Retrieved 2007-05-09.
  10. ^ "Cum va arăta aeroportul de lux din Băneasa | Romania Libera". Archived from the original on 2011-03-12.
  11. ^ "Aeroportul Băneasa, redeschis în doi ani" [Băneasa Airport, re-opened in two years] (in Romanian). Digi24. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  12. ^ "Data la care Aeroportul Băneasa va fi redeschis pentru cursele comerciale" [The date at which the Băneasa Airport will be re-opened to commercial flights] (in Romanian). Mediafax. 2 July 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  13. ^ "Bucharest's secondary airport reopens and expansion starts at main airport". Romania Insider. 13 June 2019.
  14. ^ "Aeroportul Băneasa se redeschide. După 10 ani de lucrări și 110 ani de la înființare". Buletin de București (in Romanian). 1 August 2022.
  15. ^ Marcu, Vlad (2023-04-20). "GALERIE FOTO: primul charter regulat operat de la aeroportul Băneasa a decolat joi". BoardingPass.ro (in Romanian). Retrieved 2023-04-21.
  16. ^ "Primul charter operat regulat de la aeroportul Băneasa a decolat joi spre Antalya - MagnaNews". 22 April 2023.
  17. ^ "Fly One se pregătește să opereze de la Băneasa cursa Chișinău - București". moldova.europalibera.org.
  18. ^ "Prima transmisiune din Aeroportul Băneasa! Zborurile se reiau după 9 ani". August 2022.
  19. ^ "Aeroportul Băneasa se redeschide. Ryanair, Air Connect și Fly One, companiile care vor opera zboruri - Radio România Actualități". 27 July 2022.
  20. ^ "Fly Lili on ch-aviation.com". ch-aviation.com.
  21. ^ "Passenger traffic in Bucharest". Archived from the original on 2013-01-13.
  22. ^ "MONITORUL OFICIAL AL ROMANIEI Nr. 541/2011". www.dsclex.ro. Archived from the original on 2021-06-17. Retrieved 2012-06-09.
  23. ^ "Topul aeroporturilor din Romania in 2012". Archived from the original on February 17, 2014.
  24. ^ "Passengers on small airports in 2013". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014.
  25. ^ "Traficul total de pasageri pe Aeroporturile din România pe anul 2018". Asociația aeroporturilor din România. January 23, 2019. Archived from the original on October 27, 2020. Retrieved February 5, 2019.
  26. ^ "BUCHAREST INTERNATIONAL AIR SHOW & GENERAL AVIATION EXHIBITION 2018" (in Romanian). BIAS. 24 July 2018. Retrieved 22 October 2018.
  27. ^ [1] (in Romanian) STB Tram route 5
  28. ^ [2] (in Romanian) The Romanian Ministry of Transportation
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